Philadelphia Zoo Philadelphia Zoo 2021 News

The dinosaurs are set up. It'll open March 25th (the day the zoo starts being open every day again). Admission to Big Time will cost $6 for both adults and children, reservations required. The whole zoo is basically turning into a dino park, it seems:
- DinoKey, plus vintage keys will unlock other stories
- A new eating location, "Dino Bites" (assuming it's just the food trucks being re-themed?). Food will include things like "Brontosaurus BBQ Burgers or T-Rexican", and there will be a beer garden, "Bedrock Brews".
- They'll be adding collectable cards and a bunch of other stuff as we get closer to the date

Video: https://twitter.com/phillyzoo/status/1362106875278417920?s=20
Website page: BIG TIME – Philadelphia Zoo

For dinosaurs, they look really well done, at least? The zoo seems to be putting all of their eggs in this dino basket with all of the theming (which required hiring designers to do all the planning, coming up with all of the signs and everything for the eating areas, producing all of the extras...).

Between this and the buildings being closed, I'm wishing I'd gotten my membership for the year somewhere else.
 
I’d be more into this if the dinosaurs were more accurate, like Blue Rhino Studios esque. I hate when zoos do the dinosaur theme but all the dinosaurs look more like movie monsters from Jurassic World and less like animals. It’s not educational at all. :/ At least the triceratops looks somewhat okay.
 
This all seems really expensive and, yes, it will probably bring in some more visitors, but I can't imagine it will bring in that many. I just wish this money would be used to improve infrastructure, or work on the "master plan" that they don't seem to be following through with. They made it around 15 years ago and nothing has happened. :(:rolleyes:o_O
 
red river hog said:
This all seems really expensive and, yes, it will probably bring in some more visitors, but I can't imagine it will bring in that many. I just wish this money would be used to improve infrastructure, or work on the "master plan" that they don't seem to be following through with. They made it around 15 years ago and nothing has happened. :(:rolleyes:o_O
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Robo-saurs are a pretty quick and guaranteed way for a zoo to make some money so I imagine that's why they invested in them. The zoo likely needs money pretty badly and while investing in the masterplan would benefit the zoo in the long run, they need to survive this pandemic best they can first and I'd imagine this is probably the best way for them to do that.

~Thylo
 
In their ROAR newsletter, they gave a list of what the animatronics would be. There’s an Alamosaurus (a sauropod), Edmontosaurus (an ornithopod), Tyrannosaurus rex (obviously), Ankylosaurus, Triceratops, Quetzalcoatlus (a giraffe-sized pterosaur), Anzu (an oviraptorosaur), a juvenile T. rex, two Pachycephalosaurus, Dakotaraptor, another Quetzalcoatlus, Smilodon, Wooly Mammoth, Glyptodon (a giant armadillo relative), Megatherium (a giant ground sloth), Megaladaplis (a “koala-lemur”), Aepyrornis (an elephant bird), Procoptodon (a giant kangaroo), Thylacoleo (marsupial Lion), Sumatran Rhino, Polar Bear, African Elephant, and a Monarch Butterfly.

I like that they included a couple more mammals that we don’t normally see in this sort of display, and I’m interested to see how the feathered dinosaurs, especially Anzu and Dakotaraptor turned out. The Quetzalcoatlus’ might also be interesting if they actually have pycnofibers.

Also, the newsletter detailed the surgery of the anaconda. She had some complications due to the necrosis in her tail being “sealed in” after surgery, so they had to do another surgery and leave the wound open, applying antibiotics every day using a custom shield to keep her from striking. She’s now fully recovered.
 
SaritaWolf said:
In their ROAR newsletter, they gave a list of what the animatronics would be. There’s an Alamosaurus (a sauropod), Edmontosaurus (an ornithopod), Tyrannosaurus rex (obviously), Ankylosaurus, Triceratops, Quetzalcoatlus (a giraffe-sized pterosaur), Anzu (an oviraptorosaur), a juvenile T. rex, two Pachycephalosaurus, Dakotaraptor, another Quetzalcoatlus, Smilodon, Wooly Mammoth, Glyptodon (a giant armadillo relative), Megatherium (a giant ground sloth), Megaladaplis (a “koala-lemur”), Aepyrornis (an elephant bird), Procoptodon (a giant kangaroo), Thylacoleo (marsupial Lion), Sumatran Rhino, Polar Bear, African Elephant, and a Monarch Butterfly.
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Ahh yes, an animatronic polar bear and African elephant instead of the real deal. Whoop-de-do. At least the idea is more grand than "typical animatronic dinosaur walkthrough", and while I don't anticipate seeing this exhibit for myself anytime soon (at least until summer and if the Rare Animal Conservation Center, the McNeil Avian Center, the Reptile and Amphibian House etc. are open), hopefully it's better than the standard fare.

**TANGENT ALERT**
This zoo is my (and others') childhood, and while I do want to see all of the animals receive the best care imaginable, the zoo has a vast amount of untapped potential. They started to tap said potential with Zoo360, but then didn't extend it to Bear Country and African Plains like originally planned. A Zoo360 trail system for polar, Andean and sloth bears along with elephants, giraffe, zebra, black rhino, hippo and other African hoofstock would set the zoo on a new level of innovation imaginable. If Seneca Park can have elephants, polar bears and other large mammals on 16 acres of land, why can't Philly with 42? And if Philly's getting rid of Bird Lake/the swan boats in favor of giraffes, ostrich and Ankole cattle, why can't we get rid of the train and several picnic areas in favor of elephants and other African hoofstock? (Provided they keep Bird Lake and the swan boats and expand the giraffe, rhino/zebra and hippo exhibits into the Phase to create a "megasavanna".)
 
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This looks like some 20. century dystopian scifi becoming real. Animals go extinct and people watch artificial ones instead. Robotic Sumatran Rhino, Polar Bear, African Elephant...

I think Jeremy Cherfas in the book Zoo 2000, published in 1987, written that a Disney amusement park given him a creepy thought that in future people will watch nice animatronic elephants in a zoo, instead of real ones. Whoa - it just happened.

I feel that the zoo could make it into a very moving and memorable exhibition, not a funny one. Just play it completely straight: children, your parents could see a live Sumatran rhino, but the humanity missed its chance.
 
I think it's worth reminding that there literally aren't any Polar Bears available for any new holders right now... Even if there were, there is a long line of zoos who want this species and Philadelphia is not close to the top, nor does it have the facilities to accommodate a breeding center for the species as the SSP wants to prioritize.

I've not been to Seneca Park (yet?), but judging from the map and photos in the gallery, the elephant habitat doesn't look very grand and I'm not sure if the zoo even has the required three individuals. The zoo's map shows the enclosure being about the same size as their Lion habitat (I know this isn't the best way to judge size, but it's worth mentioning). Neither are small but neither are great either. Seneca also looks to have a significantly smaller collection and significantly less packed than land-locked Philly. If the zoo is struggling to find future space to expand its giraffe and rhino habitats, I stand by their decision to not invest into elephants again (even if I disagree with many of their decisions).

~Thylo
 
ThylacineAlive said:
I think it's worth reminding that there literally aren't any Polar Bears available for any new holders right now... Even if there were, there is a long line of zoos who want this species and Philadelphia is not close to the top, nor does it have the facilities to accommodate a breeding center for the species as the SSP wants to prioritize.

I've not been to Seneca Park (yet?), but judging from the map and photos in the gallery, the elephant habitat doesn't look very grand and I'm not sure if the zoo even has the required three individuals. The zoo's map shows the enclosure being about the same size as their Lion habitat (I know this isn't the best way to judge size, but it's worth mentioning). Neither are small but neither are great either. Seneca also looks to have a significantly smaller collection and significantly less packed than land-locked Philly. If the zoo is struggling to find future space to expand its giraffe and rhino habitats, I stand by their decision to not invest into elephants again (even if I disagree with many of their decisions).

~Thylo
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I do agree that space is indeed an issue, however this can be solved with a creative design (that being Zoo360) and temporary housing of different animals over different periods of time. For example, Antwerp temporarily holds bull elephants for a couple years before they are ready to breed or move to a new herd. This dynamic can be replicated in Philadelphia with a bachelor herd of 2 or 3 African elephants, of which said bachelor herd is conducive to a mixed-species environment with different species of antelope or even animals like cheetahs. As for polar bears, Seneca Park has a nonbreeding bear, and Oregon is opening up a space for nonbreeding bears along with potentially rescued bears. Kali, a wild-born bear at the Saint Louis Zoo, has been barred from breeding. All spaces, while they could be considered "small" by some, are objectively highly enriching in terms of having different substrates, vantage points and opportunities for keepers to train the bears and keep them stimulated. Philadelphia's exhibit, when it held bears, had all of these and more.

To address Seneca Park's space issue, Seneca Park has older elephants (three females, Moki, Genny C. and Lilac), and the yard is designed to provide a maximum amount of enrichment possible. It isn't so much the amount of space as much as it is the utilization of said space, as evidenced by Seneca Park, Taronga, Smithsonian's National Zoo, Maryland, Cleveland Metroparks, etc. One way to maximize space as well is an investment in a heated outdoor "range", which can be feasible given Philadelphia's commitment to energy efficiency.
 
ThylacineAlive said:
The zoo's map shows the enclosure being about the same size as their Lion habitat (I know this isn't the best way to judge size, but it's worth mentioning). Neither are small but neither are great either. Seneca also looks to have a significantly smaller collection and significantly less packed than land-locked Philly. If the zoo is struggling to find future space to expand its giraffe and rhino habitats, I stand by their decision to not invest into elephants again (even if I disagree with many of their decisions).
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I just calculated it on Google Maps and it's approximately 0.6 acres, so not very big. I still think a good sized elephant exhibit could be feasible, though I'd prioritize other African species and expanded exhibits for their existing African Plains residents.
 
red river hog said:
I just calculated it on Google Maps and it's approximately 0.6 acres, so not very big. I still think a good sized elephant exhibit could be feasible, though I'd prioritize other African species and expanded exhibits for their existing African Plains residents.
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This I do agree with, especially for the giraffes. Hippos have a decent amount of space (I would prefer underwater viewing if possible to be honest), and as much as I love seeing Tony in with Laura and Susie, I would ideally see the zoo focus on breeding black rhinos than having a white rhino.
 
Legally, rescued wild-born Polar Bears are not allowed to enter the breeding program. Equally, bears are not allowed to come from Canada, this means that any rescued bears would need to come from Alaska, for which I'd imagine there are few. It'd be a huge risk to invest in a new Polar Bear exhibit on the assumption that a new orphaned bear will need a home. Dozens of zoos have either already built or are planning on building new Polar Bear habitats, and thus far every single one has ended up with Grizzlies.

~Thylo
 
Wyman said:
This I do agree with, especially for the giraffes. Hippos have a decent amount of space (I would prefer underwater viewing if possible to be honest), and as much as I love seeing Tony in with Laura and Susie, I would ideally see the zoo focus on breeding black rhinos than having a white rhino.
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Yeah the giraffe exhibit is definitely way too small (only about 0.19 acre), while Bird Lake would give them an entire acre of space. I also agree that underwater viewing would be nice for the hippos, too and I would like to see their exhibit expanded. It would also be nice to have grass instead of sand (that goes for the entire plains besides the Phase).
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Legally, rescued wild-born Polar Bears are not allowed to enter the breeding program. Equally, bears are not allowed to come from Canada, this means that any rescued bears would need to come from Alaska, for which I'd imagine there are few. It'd be a huge risk to invest in a new Polar Bear exhibit on the assumption that a new orphaned bear will need a home. Dozens of zoos have either already built or are planning on building new Polar Bear habitats, and thus far every single one has ended up with Grizzlies.

~Thylo
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Saint Louis built Polar Bear Point despite there being an uncertain future for polar bears, and luckily they ended up with Kali. So is Oregon with Polar Passage (Oregon is fortunate to have Nora return). The only places I know that ended up putting grizzlies in former polar bear exhibits would be Denver and Central Park, and the former didn't have the space to keep breeding their bears and the latter had elderly bears that eventually passed on. I think imports from Europe could certainly be possible if there is no genetic relation, and I'm going on a tangent and this should probably be in North American Polar Bear Population. I'll probably end the discussion here, I'm more than happy to talk this out in a PM or on the other topic.
 
The only point I'll add is that the Marine Mammal Protection Act bans ANY form of importation for Polar Bears as well as breeding from rescued Alaskan bears. No more bears are coming, not from Alaska, not from Canada, and not from Europe. If it was possible, several zoos would have done so already.

~Thylo
 
Small zoos must wrestle with the question: Is it best for our mission to devote 10% of our land to elephants? Especially when they will be indoors for several months so there is a huge building (and heating bill) to consider. Is it really necessary? Is it smart?

In short: Why?
 
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Visited today for the first time since the fall, so nice to be back. All indoor animal buildings and KidZooU are unfortunately still closed. Also closed is the middle portion of Big Cat Falls. Instead of being able to walk around the whole exhibit there are now two separate sides. You enter through the main entrance to view the lions, and instead of turning left into the movie you turn right and loop back to the main path in the space between KidZooU and BCF. You can see the tigers and amur leopard exhibit by entering through the normal exit and then looping around the left side. Sadly this system means you are unable to visit what are traditionally the jaguar and snow leopard enclosures, but I do appreciate all the Covid measures the zoo has in place. Also closed when I went were the covered viewing areas with glass for both lions and tigers.

This could end up being incorrect or change, but from what I could tell, “Big Time” seems to be limited to just the old children’s zoo spot. Right now they are also using in front of the beer garden and eagle’s roost as a staging area. Seems like there are two woolly mammoths- one set up already and one still in pieces in the staging area.

I also noticed some construction in the area to the right of water is life/carnivore kingdom and across from the barn owl/chickens enclosures. No idea what this is if anything at all, but maybe someone on this board much smarter than me might :)

Pictures of the dinosaur progress and potential mystery construction here!
For Zoochat Philadelphia Zoo 3_3_20 - Google Drive
 
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